Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 March 2017
120. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Health when a second consultant breast surgeon will be appointed to Letterkenny General Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11825/17]
View answerThe Breast Cancer Service at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH) operates as a satellite centre of University Hospital Galway (UHG). The Saolta Hospital Group is committed to continuing the Letterkenny University Hospital service as a fully integrated part of the Galway service, including through a joint Multi-Disciplinary Team approach.
The service at Letterkenny University Hospital is run by a single consultant who also undertakes general surgery at the hospital. This service is augmented by locum consultants and by Galway-based Saolta consultants who travel to carry out clinics in the Letterkenny service to meet needs arising.
At present, efforts are being made to recruit a locum Consultant surgeon to deal with the current demands on the service. Increased levels of support from other Saolta consultants are also envisaged. Consideration is also being given to longer term measures to meet the future requirements of the service. In that regard, the level of staffing at Consultant, G.P. support and Advanced Nurse Practitioner levels will be among a range of issues to be considered.
